Patent GB-632421-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in rotary internal combustion engines, pumps or motors
IPC: F02B75/02
Filed: 1947-09-19
Abstract: 632,421. Rotary engines and pumps. McCULLOCH, M. L. Sept: 19, 1947, No. 25629. [Class 110(ii)] The invention relates to engines and pumps having cylinders and pistons moving in circles about axes inclined to one another to cause relative reciprocation between pistons and cylinders. Fig. 1 shows a pump with inlet and outlet ports 17, 18 respectively, a block containing cylinders 15 and revolving on an axis 7, and pistons 12, carried by a disc 8 which revolves on an axis 10. The centres of the spherical pistons 12 lie in a plane 14 which intersects the intersection of axes 7 and 10. The disc 8 is driven through a connection 20 and the shaft in bearings 5, to which the cylinder block is keyed, by means of gears 19. There are clearances between pistons and cylinder bores. Fig. 3 shows an internal-combustion engine in which a cylinder block 20a, 20b, 20c rotates about an axis 41 by means of rollers 42 which engage the flat end walls. Pistons P, carried by supports 24, in a member 33, rotate about an axis 23. During rotation of the two parts on axes 41, 23 the pistons reciprocate in cylinders 28. In Fig. 3, compressed gas above the right-hand piston has just been fired and gas admitted to a space 26 from a port 30. During the down-stroke, compressed gas from 26 passes through ports 31, 34, when they are in alignment, into the hollow sphere 33 and out through an upper port 34 to the space above the descending piston to scavenge the cylinder, burnt gases passing through a port 32 to atmosphere. When the piston rises in the cylinder, the cycle is repeated in the upper part of the cylinder. Each piston is made up of three parts, Fig. 5, a piston support 24, a floating member 35 in the form of a hollow frustrum of a cone and a sealing member 36 fitting over the member 35 and having curved walls which engage the side walls of the cylinder. The member 36 is in two parts joined by a bar 37 which extends through a recess 38 in the support 24. The bar is located by means of a pin 38a engaging in a slot 39. The lower part of the piston is cut away at 40 to fit over a wall 27 at the lower part of the stroke. Where piston rings are used, pivoted counterweights may be provided on each piston to counterbalance centrifugal force. A variable - stroke pump may be formed from a cylinder block rotating in a fixed casing and provided with a number of cylinders having curved axes, the centre of curvature of these axes being the centre of the block. A spherical recess is formed centrally of the block and a parallel-sided passage extends from the centre spherical recess to each cylinder. A valve plate and inlet and delivery ports are formed in the casing at each end of the block making a separate pump associated with each end of the cylinder block. Each pump operates as shown in Fig. 1 and in addition, the delivery may be varied by moving the motor in its mounting and thus varying the inclination of the axes of rotation without varying the speed of the motor. Reversal of flow of fluid may be secured, thus. The two pumps formed on opposite ends of the block may be connected in series or in parallel.